MMB Chapter 1458: I Want to See You Alive
Chapter 1458: I Want to See You Alive
Chapter 1458: I Want to See You Alive
"He calls me the King of War!"
Art emphasized with some pride, "I've never understood my ideals so clearly before."
"Is this your ideal?"
Ji Weidong looked at him speechlessly, wanting to remind him to be careful with his money bag, but not knowing how to advise him.
Art is finished. He has fallen into Li Xuewu's trap and can't get out. He has been poisoned by his own arrogance.
Art didn't care whether this ideal was his or not; he just felt that it was good that someone understood him.
"You don't understand him at all, really."
"I don't understand him at all? Haha?"
Ji Weidong stared wide-eyed at Art with suspicion and asked, "Are you sure you know what you're saying?"
"We met not long after he was transferred back from the military, and it's been more than four years now."
He gestured with four fingers to emphasize, "We used to hang out together every day. You've only known him for a few days, and you're telling me I don't understand him?"
"Ji, you're still too superficial."
Art shook his head slightly and said, "Li's explanation of war, as well as his understanding of the changes and evolution of the international arms trade pattern, are very insightful."
Ignoring Ji Weidong's surprised gaze, he stood up, walked to the window, looked at the moon outside, and said, "I must face my future squarely, determine what I want, and work hard for it."
"Only in this way can we develop and progress purposefully. Li taught me this way; he is my teacher."
“I warned you, Art.”
Ji Weidong helplessly raised his hand to his forehead and said wearily, "If you're coming, then come. Just don't talk to him about ideals or life."
"You're here to purchase weapons, not to find a spiritual mentor."
"No, Ji, you're wrong."
Art turned around, looked at Ji Weidong, and said firmly, "You will always encounter benefactors on the road of life."
"You mean, Li Xuewu is the benefactor who helped you along this part of your life?"
Ji Weidong looked up at A Te in astonishment. He hadn't expected A Te to value Li Xuewu so much. If they continued to associate with each other, would he end up having A Te become Li Xuewu's godfather?
"Then you're truly a 'highly esteemed' person!"
At this moment, Ji Weidong seemed like a biological father, while A'te was an innocent young girl, praising Huang Mao Li Xuewu and denying her biological father Ji Weidong's lack of understanding.
"Li told me that he was not my benefactor, but rather what I thought and realized at this moment."
At this moment, Art was particularly like a philosopher, or what one might call a madman in the secular world.
He slightly raised his head, looked up at the starry sky at a 45-degree angle, and said softly, "In other words, I am my own benefactor because I have gained insights into life and ideals."
"Wow—a complete overhaul!"
Ji Weidong finally understood why his earnest advice had failed to break Li Xuewu's illusion; it turned out that the devil was always one step ahead of the saint.
He advised Ate not to blindly believe Li Xuewu's words, and even more so, not to believe in Li Xuewu's indoctrination.
Most importantly, do not idolize Li Xuewu.
The results of it?
Li Xuewu changed his approach; instead of enlightening and enticing At to worship, he now induces At to worship himself!
How the hell do we break this game?!
If Li Xuewu were to act like a know-it-all and try to trick At into worshipping him, he could probably find a way to decipher the truth.
Now Art is overly confident, worships himself, and has declared himself king (King of War).
At this point, any further persuasion he made would only directly attack Art's pride and arrogance.
No wonder the more he tried to persuade him, the more At resisted his efforts. Unconsciously, Li Xuewu's subtle approach had turned him and At into adversaries.
What a fine Li Xuewu!
"Let's not talk about the Lord of War for now. I'm asking you, what did you buy from him?"
Ji Weidong looked at Art seriously and emphasized, "Don't forget, you came here with a mission."
"Of course I know that."
Art walked back to the sofa and sat down. He took out a document from his briefcase, looked at it, and handed it to Ji Weidong, who was sitting next to him.
"This is just my purchase intention; the final decision rests with Li."
"You're the buyer, so you have to listen to him?"
Ji Weidong glanced at him, not wanting to say anything more, and took the document to read it.
He was stunned by the long list of individual and squad-level quick-cooked rations in the procurement intention list.
Why are you buying so much of this stuff?
Ji Weidong pointed to the items on the list and looked at Ate, asking, "You're here to purchase weapons?"
"The best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting," Li said, adding that sometimes food is more powerful than weapons.
Art shook his head slightly with an expression that said, "You don't understand," and emphasized, "I must bring this nutritious military ration to North Africa. It's going to be a hit!"
"Hot item?" This wasn't the first time Ji Weidong had heard such a bizarre term from A Te.
These words are easy to understand, but definitely not something Art could come up with.
It must be Li Xuewu; he's creating an invisible gap in their rhetoric.
From the moment he arrived in Steel City, he showed a positive attitude towards Art.
Li Xuewu could see that the attitude he expressed reflected the Investigation Department's concern for At, as well as for West Asia and North Africa.
Since neither of them said it outright, Li Xuewu pretended not to know either, and the two began a subtle contest.
Art is right here; it's up to him to decide who can control his thoughts.
When At goes to see Li Xuewu, Li Xuewu will not appear; when he comes to see At, Li Xuewu will not appear. The contest unfolds under fair conditions.
However, Ji Weidong gradually realized that he seemed to be at a disadvantage, and A Te was getting arrogant.
Li Xuewu's deceptive tactics are truly impressive. First, he reconstructed the cognition, then he invaded culture, and on this basis, he induced At to complete the cognitive construction.
"Have you ever considered that if you take these food items across the ocean to North Africa, without the protection of a strong military, you might lose everything?"
"Of course I thought of that—"
Art shook his head and pointed to the row of weapons on the project list, saying, "I'm not going to be just a god who solves hunger."
"These are all the latest models from the Red Star Weapon Factory, and they have never been exported before."
He looked at Ji Weidong, pointed to the items on the list, and emphasized, "Li promised me that I am the number one person in external procurement!"
"You are definitely the first one—"
Ji Weidong gritted his teeth; this Art was truly completely under Li Xuewu's thumb.
What's the point of being the first? Does it offer discounts or put food on the table?
"You saw their armory?"
He pointed to the list and emphasized, "Don't say I didn't warn you, these models aren't on our final assembly procurement list."
"Personally, I have never seen these types of weapons and equipment before."
"That's why Li said it was new equipment."
Art took out the brochure, flipped through the album-like picture book, pointed to the weapons and equipment on it, and introduced them one by one to the corresponding list.
"This is fucking—"
Ji Weidong looked at the equipment models and descriptions in the catalog, then at the list in his hand, and almost swore.
The Type 66-6 sniper rifle goes without saying; it's too famous, and Artillery Corps had already purchased it long ago.
但67式轻重两用机枪、68式60mm轻型迫击炮、68式120毫米迫击炮、68式高射机枪都是什么鬼！
As far as he knew, the weapons and equipment in the drawings looked very similar to the models he was familiar with.
But he was willing to risk his life to guarantee that these weapons were definitely not numbered 67.
"Wait a minute! Let me see—"
Ji Weidong reached out and took the picture book, studying it carefully. He searched his memory and compared it with the weapons and equipment in the pictures one by one, and actually figured it out.
Isn't this just—
That's right, the Type 53 heavy machine gun... the Type 54 anti-aircraft machine gun...
It's so damn similar, yet there are some differences.
It's not clear from the catalog alone, but Ji Weidong is certain that the equipment Li Xuewu sold to At is definitely not some new equipment.
If we have to call it new equipment, we can only say it's a modified version, or a self-modified product of the Red Star Weapon Factory. It's a weapon that was developed and modified independently without being assigned a task by the General Armament Department. How dare they bring this up to fool people?
“Listen to me, Art—”
Ji Weidong pointed to the weapons and equipment on the diagram and explained them to him one by one.
The message was clear: when comparing these pieces of equipment with the already deployed equipment, the parts that show obvious differences are not new equipment at all.
"This is the Type 55 120mm mortar; its features are quite obvious, aren't they?"
Ji Weidong pointed to the drawing and emphasized to At: "This is not the Type 68. I can tell you with certainty that the General Logistics Department has not issued any research or procurement tasks for new weapons in recent years."
"So to put it bluntly, what Li Xuewu showed you were all old equipment that has been revamped."
He put the brochure aside and said frankly, "If you trust me, I can introduce you to the factory that produces and equips weapons and equipment for procurement. It will definitely be the most authentic and top-quality products."
“But—” Art said hesitantly, “Li probably didn’t lie to me.”
He thought for a moment, then took out a few newspapers from his briefcase and handed them to Ji Weidong, saying, "Li said that the news has evidence of the combat effectiveness of these weapons and equipment."
"How can it be--"
Ji Weidong's eyes widened as he took the newspaper and emphasized, "He must be trying to fool you..."
He only said half of what he was saying before his expression turned strange and awkward.
These newspapers all published articles about the battle with the North Mauritanian forces. Some articles described the battle in detail, and some even included explanations of the weapon models. The majority of the articles were about the helicopters.
However, the Type 67, Type 68, and other models were all classified as experimental weapons and equipment, and were introduced together with the Tundra truck.
This is awkward. Can he tell Art that these newspapers are all fake?
Or can we tell Art that he is simply ignorant?
Li said that admitting one's ignorance does not make one fall further behind, but rather is a sign of progress.
"Li Xuewu is practically a sage."
Ji Weidong's lips twitched, and he glanced at Ate. What a joke it is that good advice is hard to persuade a damned ghost.
Art was determined to go all the way, especially after acquiring Steel Flight's export-type helicopter. He placed even greater trust in Li Xuewu, believing that anything Li Xuewu said was just gossip.
However, it must be said that Art's procurement list in mainland China this time is really quite long.
What surprised Ji Weidong was that, whether it was weapons and equipment, automobiles and airplanes, or even food and medicine, all these procurement projects came from Hongxing Steel Group's own brand.
Do not overlook this point: Hongxing Steel Group is probably the only company in China that can independently complete procurement reporting and achieve its own product supply.
Just look at the list and you'll see. It ranges from small items like sewing kits, medical kits, multi-functional lunch boxes, and water bottles to large items like cannons, cars, and airplanes. Isn't that frightening?
Besides the KH-4 attack and reconnaissance helicopters, what kept Artest so obsessed was that SteelCars' secret product, the Tundra terrain vehicle, was also on the export list.
According to Ji Weidong's understanding, the General Armaments Department and the General Logistics Department have been paying close attention to several products of Hongxing Steel Group, including individual soldier rations, helicopters, and Tundra trucks.
Some time ago, he heard that Beijing Automotive Group had "borrowed" a Tundra from a certain department and taken it back for research.
Rumors suggest that Beijing Automotive Group and Hongxing Steel Group have engaged in several open and covert battles, making their competition for the top spot in the Beijing automotive industry all the more obvious.
Of course, when it comes to scale and history, Beijing Automotive Group (京汽) is the one to come up with, as it is a key automobile enterprise.
However, when it comes to car companies that have revolutionized the automotive industry and completed a second transformation in automobile production, Hongxing Steel Group's Steel Auto not only has a complete industrial supply chain, but also the ability to produce and develop larger and more diverse models.
Steel Auto isn't competing with Beijing Auto using the Antelope; its simultaneously produced vehicles have already penetrated the entire country.
In particular, the sales and warehousing channels owned by Hongxing Steel Group have enabled its hardware, chemical, automobile and other products to sell well throughout the country.
With increasingly mature production conditions and a solid foundation of public feedback, it is no longer possible for the final assembly and logistics departments to switch to Antelope Motors.
The biggest variable lies in the Tundra, a tactical modular terrain vehicle. Unlike the 212, this vehicle was developed and designed entirely for combat.
Two years ago, Ji Weidong learned about the design concept of this car from Li Xuewu, which completely overturned his understanding of cars, especially combat cars.
It can only be said that Li Xuewu, this atypical car designer, does have some skills.
Even within the Hongxing Steel Group, there is a general consensus that no one doubts Li Xuewu's design skills and ideas.
Of course, the title "soul designer" also spread quickly and became a target of ridicule within the design institute.
Ji Weidong was both surprised and surprised that Art was able to get this model.
Back in March of this year, the Tundra made its debut in the northern market and achieved remarkable success.
After six months of reflection and summarization, and adjustments made based on battlefield performance, the Tantu once again embarked on an overseas expedition to obtain more test feedback.
That was the only reason Ji Weidong could think of for Ate to get the car.
Only through the tempering and testing of war can a new model prove its excellence and advancement.
The Tundra has already shown great potential in China. If it can shine overseas this time, then Beijing Automotive's 212 position will definitely be in jeopardy.
A highly mobile vehicle capable of mounting both anti-aircraft machine guns and mortars is truly astonishing.
So, he needs to have a talk with Li Xuewu.
It can't be called a showdown, but we can't keep dragging this out either, otherwise both sides will suffer losses, and the organization will be the one to lose.
-
"Sister Zhou, you're home."
Zhou Changli entered the courtyard and saw Zhou Yamei coming from the backyard. He quickly greeted her with a smile.
Zhou Yamei came over from the backyard because she saw him enter the courtyard.
"You two have come at the right time. I have some work to do and I was just worried about not having anyone to help me."
She smiled and pointed to the weeds and abandoned vegetable garden in the yard, saying, "You've never seen such a desolate garden before, have you? You've certainly learned something new today."
"Hehe—" Zhou Changli chuckled strangely, stepped forward and said, "I'll help you. Fourth Brother still has work to report to Brother Li."
"It won't make a difference if you wait a little longer. Your brother Li has guests right now, so please take care of my business first."
Zhou Yamei explained only one sentence, then waved her hand without further ado, indicating to Zhou Changli and Zhao Laosi how to clear the weeds and vegetables in the yard.
"We don't want any of them, but we can't let the grass seeds fall, otherwise the land will really be abandoned next year."
She emphasized, "It's too late to tidy up the garden at this time; some of the grass seeds are already ripe."
"Who is Brother Li meeting?"
Zhou Changli glanced into the house through the back window, but the living room was a bit far away and he couldn't see it clearly.
He heard Li Xuewu's voice, but he couldn't quite make out what they were talking about inside the room. He only knew that the other person was a woman.
***
"I thought about it all night, and I still don't know how to face you, really."
Sitting in the living room talking to Li Xuewu was Wu Shuping, who had come all the way from Tianjin.
After meeting Lai Jiasheng, she mustered up the courage to call Li Xuewu, and that's how she came to Gangcheng.
Li Xuewu's reaction was calm; he wasn't as angry as she had imagined, nor did he criticize her.
To put it bluntly, she and Lai Jiasheng are repaying Li Xuewu for the protection he provided for her and their child.
The two slept in the same bed, and although it hadn't been a long time, they had developed some feelings for each other.
This feeling is hard to explain, but Wu Shuping is sure she hasn't tainted it.
Even in her conversation with Lai Jiasheng, she firmly emphasized her loyalty.
Loyalty to love.
Although this loyalty seemed worthless after Lai Jiasheng made a prominent appearance in Tianjin.
However, at least she and Li Xuewu are innocent.
Therefore, she was able to muster the courage to appear here and bravely face Li Xuewu's questions.
But Li Xuewu didn't; he just looked at her with a warm attitude and listened to her talk.
"I don't know if I'm still qualified to apologize to you on his behalf."
Wu Shuping looked at Li Xuewu and said earnestly and frankly, "If I had known he would be so stubborn, I would not have hesitated until today."
Even if it's for the sake of the children.
"Yes, I understand you."
Li Xuewu could see the bitterness behind her strength, especially the shame of Lai Jiasheng's betrayal.
"Lai Jiasheng is Lai Jiasheng, and you are you."
He gestured to the chrysanthemum tea that Zhou Yamei had just brought over on the coffee table, inviting Wu Shuping to drink it.
"We've known each other for so long, there's no need to explain things too clearly, you understand and I understand."
Li Xuewu nodded slightly and continued, "Even if it's Lai Jiasheng, I don't hold a grudge against him."
Wu Shuping looked up at him in surprise, quite unexpected to hear Li Xuewu say that.
"A man who waits anxiously for his wife and children who are in dire straits, the pain of missing them day and night is immense."
Li Xuewu sighed softly and said, "It's also my fault. I didn't make proper arrangements and put you in a difficult position."
"No, please don't say that."
Wu Shuping shook her head, biting her lip, and said, "I feel so ashamed that you said that."
"If it weren't for your help back then, I would have... I remember it all."
She never expected to cry when she came to see Li Xuewu, and she didn't shed a single tear when she saw Lai Jiasheng.
Hearing Li Xuewu's self-reproachful statement, she felt as if a hand had been grabbed from her heart.
Tears streamed down her face as she repeatedly emphasized how Li Xuewu had taken care of her and her child.
“What I can do for you is incomparable to what you have done for us, and I must say this.”
"There's no need. You know I trust you."
Li Xuewu nodded firmly and looked at Wu Shuping, saying, "I haven't told anyone about this except those involved, including my sister-in-law."
"Thank you, thank you—"
Wu Shuping covered her face and cried, sobbing, "I even used all my courage to come to Gangcheng to see you, I don't have the courage to face Ya Fang anymore."
“I believe that my sister-in-law, like me, will not complain about you at all, not even a little bit.”
Li Xuewu looked at her and said, "I agreed to come to Gangcheng for this very reason."
He pulled out a few sheets of paper and handed them over, saying, "It is extremely difficult to invite Mr. Lai to come to the mainland to see you, but I am still willing to take the risk."
“Since Li Xin calls me ‘Dad,’ I must live up to the trust you and your mother have placed in me.”
"Waaah, waaah—"
Wu Shuping bowed her head to her knees, her voice revealing despair for life and disappointment in her lover.
Li Xuewu placed the tissues on the sofa next to her and continued, "I have no other purpose than to let Mr. Lai know the actual situation of you and your child."
"Similarly, this also lets you know Mr. Lai's true thoughts, that you are family."
"Thank you for your honesty, but this is really too cruel for me—"
Wu Shuping looked up at him with teary eyes and said, "I wish he hadn't come this time."
"But I can't be the bad guy to you."
Li Xuewu nodded and said, "It's good for your whole family to be reunited, but you can't always travel thousands of miles together like this. Anyone would have some complaints."
"I already feel guilty enough."
Wu Shuping shook her head slightly and said through tears, "Please stop talking."
“I was afraid you would think that way, which is why I asked you to come here.”
Li Xuewu smiled slightly and said, "I am very grateful for and admire Mr. Lai's work and contributions in Hong Kong. I have no intention of blaming him."
“This time it was my oversight, and I will bear the losses and impact he caused.”
His expression gradually turned serious as he said, "If you have any thoughts, I will arrange for you to leave the construction company as soon as possible, fade out of this role, and arrange for your whole family to move to Hong Kong."
“Go to the port city…” Wu Shuping, forgetting her tears, looked up at him and asked, “Then your plan… I…”
"I've already made one mistake, I can't keep making the same mistake, you can take your bow early."
Li Xuewu nodded with his eyes closed, and then said, "While Li Xin is still young, the main conflict between you and your husband is caused by distance."
"Go to the port city, return to your former living environment, and rediscover the love you lost."
***
"Love?" Zhou Changli took the opportunity of weeding to turn to Zhao Laosi beside him and ask, "What is love?"
"You're asking me? You already have a wife—"
Zhao Laosi also heard the faint conversation coming from the living room; he only heard it after it quieted down.
“Having a wife has nothing to do with love,” Zhou Changli muttered as he turned around. “I’ve never even tasted what love is like.”
"If there is no love between you and Er Ya, then I really don't know what love is."
Zhao Laosi replied, "But I can be sure that none of your former 'good sisters' were in love."
What are you two whispering about?
Zhou Yamei wasn't far from them. After tidying up a vegetable garden, she straightened up and asked with a smile, "There's some watermelon cooling in the bucket in the kitchen, do you want some?"
"Are there still watermelons this season?"
Zhou Changli straightened up and asked in surprise, "Sister Zhou, where did you buy it?"
"It wasn't bought, it was brought from home."
Zhou Yamei explained, "I went back to my parents' house the day before yesterday. They grew these themselves; they are a late-maturing variety."
“That’s true—” Zhou Changli said with a smile, “I wanted to eat there the other day, but when I went to ask, I found out that the garden had closed down. It’s almost October now.”
"You didn't expect to get to eat watermelon, did you?"
Zhou Yamei smiled and gestured towards the kitchen, saying, "Go ahead, whoever goes and cuts open a watermelon, takes some over to Brother Li, and shares the rest."
"I'm so sorry, I only helped with a small thing." Old Zhao said jokingly, "How about I go back and call a few more people to help you turn over the soil in the garden?"
"It's autumn, why bother turning over the soil?"
Zhou Yamei glared at him amusedly and waved her hand, saying, "Hurry up and tidy up the garden. Your brother Li should call you for a talk soon."
***
Zhou Changli had a really big and sweet piece of gossip to hear today, and he also happened to see the woman in the living room.
He wasn't unfamiliar with her at all. He had seen Wu Shuping a few times in Beijing. Although they hadn't spoken much, he was certain that she was also working for Brother Li.
"You'll stay here tonight. It just so happens that Yamei is also back from her hometown. You two can chat."
Seeing that Wu Shuping remained silent, Li Xuewu advised, "You can tell me whatever you've thought about, or talk to Zhou Yamei if it's inconvenient for you to."
"Brother Li, Sister Zhou asked me to cut the melon."
Zhou Changli walked into the entryway, afraid of disturbing their conversation, especially their topic of "love".
He greeted him first, and after seeing Brother Li nod, he went to the kitchen.
When he came out again, Wu Shuping, who had been sitting on the sofa with tears streaming down her face, had already gone upstairs.
"Brother Li, please have some watermelon."
Zhou Changli, holding a plate, glanced towards the stairs and asked, "Would you like one sent upstairs?"
"Forget it, let's talk about it after dinner."
Li Xuewu picked up a watermelon, took a bite, nodded, and said, "It's alright, quite sweet."
"This is the last batch. I never thought there would still be watermelons to eat at this time."
Zhou Changli smiled and gestured to the back of the house, saying, "I came with Lao Si. He was just helping Sister Zhou tidy up the garden. I'm going to relieve him now."
"Okay, go ahead and do more work."
Li Xuewu smiled slightly and said, "Your sister Zhou has been in the capital for more than half a year, and she has been nagging me for the same amount of time because the garden has been abandoned."
That's how vegetable gardens are; you can't leave them unattended for even a week, or the weeds will grow incredibly fast.
Zhou Changli responded and went out, carrying another plate of watermelon in his hand. A moment later, Zhao Laosi came in.
"Brother Li, I'd like to report on the situation in Fengcheng."
Zhao Laosi was very cautious. Although he didn't kneel down as readily as last time, it was clear that Li Xuewu was still very polite and showed more respect than anything else.
"Sit down. Have you eaten any watermelon yet?"
Li Xuewu waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down on the sofa, and said, "Try it, it's quite sweet."
"I just ate a piece; Sister Zhou gave it to me."
Zhao Laosi said politely, then glanced at him cautiously and reported, "News has come from Yingcheng that a group of people have been caught. They have confessed to the whole process of Xi Yongzhong's disappearance and the reasons behind it."
"Hmm, has Yongzhong been found?"
Li Xuewu already knew the general outcome. At this moment, he frowned slightly, closed his eyes, and leaned back on the sofa.
His exhaustion wasn't just from not being able to rest on Sundays and having to deal with these trivial matters; it was more about his responsibility to his family and friends.
Too many people depend on him for their livelihood, and there are too many entanglements involved, so Li Xuewu is very careful with every step he takes.
Zhao Laosi was always good at reading people's expressions, and seeing Li Xuewu's expression, he was inwardly terrified.
"We found it...we found it."
He glanced timidly at Li Xuewu, and explained in an increasingly soft voice, "I just didn't find them all."
"Have you found out who the mastermind is?"
Li Xuewu kept his eyes closed and spoke in a low voice, "I'm talking about the mastermind behind it all."
"It's a man called Master Zhang."
Zhao Laosi reported softly, "I've heard of this person, but I've never had any dealings with him."
"He was a well-known businessman in Fengcheng, but later, when the business environment disappeared, he somehow became a wandering swordsman."
He paused here, fearing that Li Xuewu wouldn't believe his investigation, and then explained a few details.
Li Xuewu immediately understood: what kind of Jianghu swindler was this? He was just someone who had gone from the open to the covert.
They used to run a legitimate business, but when that business was banned, they seized the opportunity presented by the booming black market and started engaging in speculative and potentially fatal dealings.
He's smart and has capital, so he can naturally make a name for himself in Fengcheng.
The situation described by Zhao Laosi was the same. The reason why this Third Master Zhang dared to call himself "Master" was because he was not young. He said he was over sixty years old.
At his age, still navigating the underworld, he actually has the audacity to mess with the people at the recycling center.
According to the confession that Ge Lin investigated, this Third Master Zhang first threw two boats into the water, but both of them ran into trouble. He got a little anxious and wanted to test our strength.
Zhao Laosi explained, "I've checked both of his boats; he must have made a lot of money."
It's quite normal for ships from Northeast China that engage in large-scale maritime trade in the Bohai Bay to have accidents. Even without natural disasters, there are always man-made disasters orchestrated by Lao Biaozi.
Those who are disobedient, treacherous, or prone to overturning the table after eating their fill are all targets of Lao Biaozi's crackdown.
Even without these people's arrogance, Lao Biaozi would have gradually eliminated those old ships.
To put it simply, a boat can't run for three months straight, otherwise the Northeast wouldn't be able to accommodate people like that.
Of course, there will be no problem renting ships from Dongfeng Shipping, because there are large ships anchored in the Bohai Bay, so they don't have to go too far. It just means they earn less, it's hard-earned money.
This disparity has fueled a booming ship investment market, but it has also led to the deaths of many young people who dared to take the risk.
Li Xuewu's brother-in-law and sister were tempted by this situation to invest in a boat.
Master Zhang is a traditional old hand, and he wasn't very enthusiastic about this new profession at first.
As foreign goods continued to flood the domestic market, the quality of goods on the black market gradually deteriorated.
Even if Master Zhang wanted to avoid following the trend, he couldn't help it unless he wanted to retire from the business and leave this circle.
Who would complain about having too much money? Master Zhang was so eager to work until his coffin; he couldn't possibly relax for even a day.
So he arranged for two of his nephews to go to Yingcheng, where they acquired two boats and started sourcing goods along the gradually maturing routes.
His two nephews were in charge of purchasing goods, while he was in charge of shipping them; they worked together very well.
However, this single-service approach has impacted the profitability of recycling stations, leading more people to focus their attention on the market.
When Li Wenbiao designed this plan, he had already considered that they had to separate.
In other words, ships at sea should not go ashore, and goods should be resold after landing. It is not permissible for ships to unload and sell their own goods, as this would inevitably lead to trouble.
If you start investigating one line, you can uncover a whole host of other issues.
So Zhang Sanye's two nephews were chased around by the mantis shrimp boat one after the other, and in the end one died and the other was captured.
The outcome for those who were caught was practically the same as death; people in this line of work always receive severe sentences.
Master Zhang was naturally dissatisfied with this outcome, and the other party also wondered if someone was sabotaging things.
He's a seasoned businessman, a veteran of that era, and he's seen it all.
The first thing that came to Zhang Sanye's mind was Dongfeng Shipping, which sells and maintains ships.
Why is it that ships chartered from Dongfeng Shipping don't have accidents, but those that run their own ships always do?
It's fair to say that Dongfeng Shipping has large ships, but it shouldn't be this unlucky that two ships have been involved in accidents one after another.
Master Zhang is no good person; he's ruthless and unscrupulous in his actions, otherwise he wouldn't have such a reputation in the underworld.
“Xi Yongzhong knows him. The two have interacted before and are said to be friends, despite their age difference.”
Zhao Laosi explained, "Xi Yongzhong encountered some trouble in the market after he came to Fengcheng, and it was Zhang Sanye who helped him solve it. That's how we became friends."
"According to those people, they were all workers employed by Master Zhang, who were usually responsible for the distribution and delivery of goods, but sometimes they would do some bad things."
"Xi Yongzhong was tricked by Master Zhang. The two had talked a few times before, but Xi Yongzhong was probably tight-lipped, so the other party couldn't get any information out of him."
Zhao Laosi paused, glanced at Li Xuewu's expression, and then continued his report: "After his two nephews got into trouble, the goods in the market were cut off, and he's not having an easy time. He's even planning to buy a new boat."
"It must have been spurred on by us, especially since Zhou Changli and I took over some of the market business with our team, which aroused their vigilance."
He explained, "This Master Zhang has a strong sense of territory. Our appearance made him feel that this was a trap, a premeditated scheme planned in advance."
"In other words, we first attract young people from Fengcheng to work on ships, then take most of the hard-earned money from the ships, and then attract more young people to take the risk."
“Once the number of bold young people in Fengcheng is reduced, it will be easier for us to enter.”
Actually, Zhao Laosi was right; that's exactly what Lao Biaozi thought back then.
"Master Zhang tricked Xi Yongzhong, intending to use force to find out who was really behind Dongfeng Shipping."
"He wanted to know more about how much our arrangements in Fengcheng were related to Dongfeng Shipping."
Zhao Laosi rubbed his hands together and said, "Xi Yongzhong was very resistant at first and refused to say anything. Later, Master Zhang had his men take action, and Lao San finally couldn't hold back and told them everything."
Li Xuewu certainly understood Xi Yongzhong's loyalty. He could understand even if Xi Yongzhong uttered words under extremely adverse circumstances, since it was not a belief or ideology.
"Third Master Zhang was careless; he didn't expect what Xi Yongzhong vomited to be so terrifying."
Zhao Laosi said helplessly, "He was afraid that things would be exposed, so he asked them to kill Xi Yongzhong and then break him into pieces and throw him away."
"Where is he?" Li Xuewu opened his eyes at some point, his gaze filled with a cold, murderous aura as he asked, "Where is this man called Master Zhang?"
“He ran away. He ran away the day Xi Yongzhong disappeared.” Zhao Laosi said helplessly, “The reason Ge Lin was able to track those people down in Yingcheng was because he was afraid of being exposed, so he ran away in advance.”
"Master Zhang's interrogation of Xi Yongzhong was entirely his own fault. Knowing he had stirred up a hornet's nest, he simply fled overnight."
He shook his head slightly and sighed, "I also feel wronged and sorry for Xi Yongzhong. The one who seduced him was Zhang Sanye's friend of the same age who was on good terms with him."
"And Xi Yongzhong... it was this friend who did it, saying he was too jealous of him."
Xi Yongzhong doesn't have much influence within the Fengcheng recycling system, but his identity is special.
Sometimes they can even drive themselves out to run errands, which makes them look very impressive.
"I don't need to understand anything too complicated."
Li Xuewu closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then sighed softly and said, "Tell Ge Lin to follow the rules of the martial arts world and not to cause trouble for himself."
"And then there's this Master Zhang."
He suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Zhao Laosi, emphasizing, "I want to see him alive or dead."
***
"I told you you had to listen to me."
Zhou Changli came out of the villa courtyard and said to Zhao Laosi, who had a bitter and resentful look on his face, "Let's prepare a list first, and when Ge Lin and the others come back, we'll carry them out at specific locations."
"I'm too lazy to deal with these people anymore, they're too much of a hassle."
He said indignantly, "Anyone with a hair on their head dares to pretend to be a phoenix. This place is shallow and full of bastards, and there are big shots everywhere."
"Since Brother Li has already spoken, let's follow the rules of the underworld and cleanse the trading market of its filth."
Looking at Zhou Changli, who seemed worried that things weren't going to be a big deal, Zhao Laosi sighed slightly and said, "Have you ever thought that after this, we'll be standing in the spotlight?"
"What's the big deal? Brother Li is giving us a chance to train. Don't you want it?"
Zhou Changli frowned and looked at Zhao Laosi, asking, "Why are you still so worried?"
Is it a good thing for you to be in the spotlight?
Zhao Laosi glanced at him helplessly, then said, "This might be Brother Li's punishment for us."
"Punishment? Haha, is that a good thing?"
Zhou Changli said with a laugh, "Is helping us get promoted considered a punishment in your eyes?"
"You know nothing—"
Zhao Laosi glared at him with exasperation, then walked towards the car and said, "Go back and think about this carefully."
"No need to think about it anymore. We'll just wipe out any gangs that dare to establish themselves in Fengcheng. This time, we're going to be arrogant."
Zhou Changli declared domineeringly, "I will not allow anyone in Fengcheng to be more powerful than us."
(End of this chapter)